A Rural Outreach Clinic will open in Colborne come April.
Health care providers affiliated with the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) are preparing to open the region’s first Rural Outreach Clinic on Tuesday, April 6th at 34 Victoria Street, Colborne, developed from a unique collaboration with Cramahe Township.
The partnership of local providers, patients and caregivers, along with the OHT-N’s Rural Outreach Clinic (ROC) effort is to bring services to rural community locations in Northumberland, has helped reduce barriers to care experienced by patients in small, rural areas, such as access, transportation and outreach challenges, explains Linda Davis, spokesperson for the OHT-N.
When the Colborne Rural Outreach Clinic opens next month, Cramahe Township residents will gain access to a suite of services which, today, often require a 20 to 30 minute trip by car to access.
Available by appointment only, these services include:
>Mental health counselling (adult and youth);
>Primary care for patients not currently rostered with a local primary care provider or those who may need a specific temporary support closer to home;
>Diabetes education;
>Foot care/chiropody;
>Smoking cessation; and
>Seniors wellness supports.
Services planned for the April launch reflect input on the priority needs identified by community residents through a recent OHT-N/Cramahe Township survey.
In December 2019, the Government of Ontario announced Northumberland as one of the first 24 Ontario Health Teams in the province and in less than a year, the OHT-N is delivering on a priority year-one initiative to establish a Rural Outreach Clinic, adds MPP David Piccini.
To access care at the Colborne Rural Outreach Clinic as of April 6th, residents of the Colborne area can call the clinic directly at 289-265-0505 if they, or someone they care for, requires the services listed above. Services are available by appointment (no walk-in option is available) on a first-come, first-served basis.
You can visit the OHT-N website at www.ohtnorthumberland.ca, email the team care of info@ohtnorthumberland.ca or reach out by phone.
(In photo, from L-R:
Arryn McNichol, CAO, Township of Cramahe
Linda Davis, President & CEO, Northumberland Hills Hospital and OHT-N spokesperson
Mandy Martin, Mayor, Township of Cramahe
David Piccini, MPP, Northumberland-Peterborough South
Adrienne Bell-Smith, Executive Director, Northumberland Family Health Team
Michele Leggette, OHT-N Rural Outreach Clinic Coordinator)
